Canal victim laid to rest

The funeral last Wednesday of Kay Condron, who died after slipping into the Grand Canal while out walking with her husband near Rahan last Sunday, was one of the saddest he can remember, according to Offaly County Councillor Johnny Butterfield. "I never saw as many tears at a funeral in a long time," he said yesterday (Thursday). Forty-five year old Kay Condron lived in Blueball, Tullamore, with her husband Kevin. The two were walking next to the canal last Sunday when Kay fell in. Despite efforts to save her, Kay lost her life as a result of the accident, leaving behind a distraught husband, son Seán, mother Nora, sisters Helen and Nuala, brothers Niall, John, Michael and Kevin and an extended grieving family. According to Cllr Butterfield, who counted Mrs Condron as one of his neighbours, the funeral in St Colman's Church in Mucklagh at noon last Wednesday saw the church filled to capacity and more. "It was an absolutely unbelieveable crowd," he said, estimating that congregation numbers at the Mass swelled to over a thousand. "They didn't all fit into the church." Two of the six priests who celebrated the funeral Mass travelled from Kay's home county of Kerry to the Mucklagh church, according to the councillor, and those wishing to pay sympathies to Kay's family did so over a period that stretched to approximately two hours. Though Cllr Butterfield said he had limited interaction with Mrs Condron during her lifetime, she was "very affable and friendly" whenever he did have cause to speak to her. "She was a very light-hearted, genial person," he said, adding that she liked to tease about Offaly-Kerry rivalry. Gardaí yesterday said Mrs Condron's death last weekend was "just a freak accident" and dismissed any claims of wasps playing a part in the tragedy.